Not dropping Santa down the chimney!: The 2023 Santa, Shoebox & Life Challenge. Everyone welcome.... 3 January at 2:41PM edited 16 January at 8:13PM in Special occasions & other celebrations 29 replies 904 views

Katiehound

Welcome to the shiny new thread which has a slightly different title

Santa's Challenge was set up  by Mum2one some years ago but sadly she hasn't posted on this forum for a couple of years, so now we are on our own.  We remember her, her Mum and daughter with fondness and hope that they will drop past to join in.

This is what she said:
Santa’s challenge isn’t just about Christmas Eve, it’s about Birthdays, Mother’s Day, fathers days, Christmas ... but most of all, friendship and support.

A little bit about me: Katiehound. I have 2 trailhounds, one very frail & elderly. My very first trailie was Katie and she was a PAT dog & an education dog for the Blue Cross- she met over 11,000 local children (and so did I!) an amazing award winning dog: I just loved taking her into schools, hospital, nursing homes and so on.

We are a friendly group and would love you to join, lingering is allowed too.
Everyone welcome

We chat about plans for Christmas, filling our shoeboxes which are sent to the charity Link to Hope en route to families and elderly in Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine & Moldova, and whatever else life throws at us!!

Welcome to Chanie, Happy-Kitties & Anglea
I have taken the step and started the thread but it belongs to us all
If there's anything you don't like in the bit above (or even the title!) please let me know and I will alter.

Happy Healthy New Year to us all

Katiehound

It's no wonder my cupboards are bulging.
Today I got 3 rather nice candles in Aldi: Christmas pudding & brandy butter scent!! Sounds weird but they smell rather good- like cinnamon- great for the shoeboxes @ 79 pence each in a robust glass. Also 2 packs of cards from Sue Ryder 10 pence each, as well as some other little oddments. (also the same expensive price!) 
 If they still have them will check out the turkey & stuffing scented candles next time I am in there. (Aldi I mean)....

Happy_Kitties

Oooo a shiny new thread. So glad u did it Katiehound!

The weather is terrible here in Wales at the minute-rain, rain and more rain.
Have managed to get out the past week.  Have picked up quite a few bargains.
75% off in the [email protected] Factory, stocked up with cards and gift bags. Think I’ve got enough for 2024 aswell. Also picked up some more of the 10m rolls for the shoebox hub.

I picked up some candles but from [email protected] ‘gingerbread’ scent. They were marked as reduced but went thru the till full price. Operator didn’t bother to check, just took my word for it and adjusted the price down. They are too big for the shoeboxes but will make lovely little gifts. Also boxes of Lindt chocs down to £1.50, picked up the remaining 3. One is being added to a birthday present to finish it off in March and one being added to a present next month.
Also have bulging cupboards. Thinking of sending a charity box off early as I seem to have a lot of stuff that was on sale before Christmas. It seems to have mounted up!

Already have 5 Christmas presents bought and tucked away. 

Need to pack away the tree. It is getting trashed by the cats now. It’s looking very sorry for itself?

Katiehound, very interested to hear what the ‘Turkey and stuffing’ candle smells like if you manage to pick any up. 

Hopefully we will see Chanie, Anglea and any newbies posting soon but it is great to have a shiny new thread. Thank u🙂

 

Katiehound

I was out with the dogs just about 7.30 this morning, it was dry then... an hour later... rain (and cold with it)

I suspect the turkey & stuffing scent might be a bit... gross!!!

Glad you are getting on well. I'm not sure where the last 10 days went....
I only went out last Tuesday so I didn't get anything much.  Could really have done with some more paper  but nothing in Wilko today except bags & bags of bows just 10 pence for 20? No, I don't need bows........
Pleased with my 10 pence pieces- a little maraca & a couple of farm animals. There were bits of Thomas the Tank Engine: except the engine itself!!

Have been speaking to Lisa at Link to Hope because they had a link to a blog, but I couldn't find it! Anyhow had a chat to her. Photos going up on the website in the next few days. She says that she has a load on her phone.

chanie

just place marking.  will need to read up and update soon.

Katiehound

The turkey & stuffing scented candles smelled of nothing- quite bland.

The pigs in blankets scented candles were... gross! Who needs the scent of bacon wafting through the air??? Those remained on the shelf. Mind if they got to a silly price they might end up in my basket.

Happy_Kitties

Well that’s the tree all packed up and put away. Would of done it sooner, usually do it the 1st or 2nd but still getting over the head cold and just generally feeling drained. Left the lights tangled, just couldn’t be bothered…..I’m so going to regret that come December☹️. Broke an expensive bauble and decluttered some bits like tinsel that had seen better days, bits of tissue that had been used over and over to wrap ornaments in. Tried to sort out what I had got as I was going along and i do have more room.

Just need to get the tree skirt washed and then it’s full steam ahead with birthday season which starts next month

I freed up a big cat food box last night so I could box up some charity items that the organiser can use for fundraising throughout the year, the items I’ve packed are not Christmas specific. Tried to tidy up with the space freed up and hopefully I can get the parcel sent tomorrow as the items were taking over and still are, have picked up quite abit for them and another group.

Popped into [email protected] for a few bits today. I had been looking at a Prosecco and candle set, was £15 (would of never paid that), down to £6. In the past they would have all gone, decided to pick up one for a Christmas present. When it went thru the till the operator says do u know this is now £3.75 so went to get another one. Absolute bargain as it is a Freixenet set so need to store these now…..just when I had freed up space!

Katiehound just the thought of a pigs in blanket candle puts me off!! 

Looking forward to seeing more photos from Link to Hope. Very proud of what we do with the shoeboxes, every single shoebox we do changes a life.

Katiehound

Happy_Kitties said:

  Very proud of what we do with the shoeboxes, every single shoebox we do changes a life.

Absolutely this^^^^^

So sad that a just a shoebox of 'things' can be so thrilling

In Aldi they had 2 bags of yarn left. I need any yarn like a hole in the head! However- 400 g (4 shades in total including black) not very exciting colours - but @ £1.99 - that's 25 pence for a 50 g ball! Couldn't pass that up.....mittens or knee blankets.
 My friend might well be knitting black mittens, yet again, she's on a cruise so I can't ell her the good news yet!!

They had other candles yesterday "Nordic Tin candle" now 69 pence- pleasant scents.

They also had larger 'Star' candles, half price now £1.49. The silver one is very nice perfume- so 4 for presents as I have friends who like candles.  Purple ones are plum.

One cheeky thing I have learned in Aldi, if there is a damaged box/packet it's worth asking if there is a discount. I've had 30% off that way on 3 items. Nothing wrong with the contents.

Have forced myself out of bed early each 'working' day- so been swimming 4 days in a row. Feeling slightly virtuous.

 

Happy_Kitties

Have been given another 3 shoeboxes, I’m really itching to get started now. Said I will keep collecting the shoeboxes as even if I don’t use them I can take them along to the shoebox hub later in the year. 

Like Chanie I’ve started to pick up a few bits for them as I go along but really think I’m going to have to start packing one, it’s calling me!  Was thinking I could do like Chanie, fill the boxes and when sweets/choc come in date, add them, seal and wrap. 

Birthday presents for DD all sorted bar one, need to get and wrap then done.
Had to stop with the sale items as just kept seeing more and things are taking over the spare room. The charities are going to be happy this year! 

I’m very impressed about the swimming Katiehound. I’ve said this year is the ‘Year of Me’ as I feel I’ve not been great with ‘me time’ in the last 6 months so hoping to change this year…..yet to start this

Katiehound

This past week I only got 4 swims in because....... one morning I just switched the alarm off and wouldn't get up in the dark! Still 1.25 miles swum in total

If you have a Morrisons they had 2 essential toothbrushes for 25 pence. Tesco also had them - but neither showing any online now! I am planning to go to Tesco on Tuesday and will attempt to buy their cheap tablets of soap - and anything else available. Thinking all these cheap things are going... going...gone.... or gone up in price!

I found a company online that had some great offers but the delivery charge was £9.99 unless you spent something like £200.

I have just started sewing duvets again as the dog groomer (new outlet) phoned to say she had sold all 4.
 2 x KS duvets came on NY Day so I am just doing them first as I was also given KS covers (different source)- means no piecing required. The cover is BHS & the golden sheets are M&S with the red St Michael logo- so vintage !! 70s I guess. Nothing wrong with the fabric: made to last

Better get back to the sewing machine for an hour or so now

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound I remember BHS, they will be a good quality fabric and will be long lasting.

I was at Morries today but just a quick whizz around the store. I need to sort out bits as I have a big bag full which is overflowing and I just keep chucking extra bits I pick up on top.

I got quite a few bits and pieces in the [email protected] the first time I went in. Went in the other day and a lot had gone, wish I had picked up more the first time. That is the cheapest place for me to buy playing cards, expensive elsewhere. 

1.25 miles is still 1.25 miles even if you did switch the alarm off one morning…..that would be me every morning!!!